


Teen Wolf, Season 3, Episode 2, Chaos Rising

by TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Analysis, Episode Review, Episode: s03e02 Chaos Rising, Meta, Nonfiction, Season/Series 03, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-29 00:04:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16252541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer/pseuds/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer
Summary: Warning: Contains spoilers for the episode and rest of the series. Complete.





	Teen Wolf, Season 3, Episode 2, Chaos Rising

Wonderful, observant reviewer I am, I completely failed to notice Melissa actually switched scrubs in Tattoo until after I posted said review.

Open to Lydia putting herself, Allison, and innocent people in danger of a car accident by tracing the bruise on a driving Allison’s arm after tracing it on her own.

Allison is already a bad driver, but even if she weren’t, this is a terrible thing to do.

They discuss Braeden’s search for Scott, and Allison insists the bruises have a deeper meaning due to the pattern.

Elsewhere, Scott is looking at a missed call from Allison as he and Stiles walk. Stiles wants him to be excited about a party they’ve been invited to, but Scott thinks it’s a little weird going to a party thrown by kids from a different high school. It’s established the invite came from a nursery school friend of Stiles’s.

Stiles insists they forget about both Allison and Lydia to have fun, and Scott agrees.

Inside, the party girl, Heather, takes aside her friend, Danielle from Party Guessed.

Heather says she’s decided tonight is the night she’s going to have sex for the first time.

Assuming all of this happened, with no slut-shaming intended, this girl isn’t ready for sex.

There are condoms in the house, but they’re not hers. She and Stiles haven’t actually known each other since they were toddlers, and yet, she’s relying on him being into girls and either not being in a monogamous relationship or willing to cheat. She plans to have sex down in the wine cellar, and as will be shown, no one can hear her screams when she’s in there.

From a Doylist perspective, Stiles would respect a no if she decided against having sex, but from a Watsonian perspective, she can’t know for sure he would.

The duo arrives, and she kisses Stiles on the mouth. Unless there’s a secure bond established, it’s not good to do this.

Then, she drags him off to the wine cellar.

Scott tries to make conversation with Danielle, but unimpressed, she wanders off.

Downstairs, Heather kisses Stiles before explaining she’d like to have sex. He agrees he’d like to have sex, too. Then, being responsible, he protests when he remembers he has no condoms. She sends him up to the bathroom where her brother has some.

With this being her house, wouldn’t it make more sense for her to get them instead of sending someone who hasn’t been inside the house for over a literal decade?

Outside, Scott finds Allison and Lydia, and Allison shows him her bruise.

In the bathroom, Stiles finds the condoms, and they’re probably too large for him. This should be cue to go back down and ask if she’s willing to wait until he gets back from the store. A condom shouldn’t be used if it’s too large or small. However, instead, he takes the condom.

Downstairs, Heather is kidnapped by something supernatural. Right after she’s pulled out the window, Stiles comes down to find the cellar perfectly clean, organised, and empty of all human presence.

After the credits, it’s daytime, and the inside of Derek's loft is shown. Pacing, Isaac makes it clear he doesn’t like Peter or the current plan involving Peter.

Derek says he (Derek) isn’t trained to do the procedure. Isaac brings up the fact Scott doesn’t trust Peter. “Personally, well, I-I trust Scott.”

In response, Derek asks if Isaac trusts him, and Isaac hesitates before answering yes.

This is one of these scenes where unreliable narration could be in play, but there’s nothing definite to say it is. Scott did start swaying Isaac to his side last season, and Isaac doesn’t trust Derek as much as he wishes he could.

Appearing, Peter tries to shame them by saying he can hear them, and so, they should say whatever they have to say to his face.

Without missing a beat, Derek declares, “We don’t like you. Now, shut up and help us.”

After a pause, Peter acknowledges, “Fair enough.” Withdrawing his claws, he does memory retrieval via sticking them in Isaac’s neck.

Everything is rather blurry. Then, he announces he learned Deucalion has plans for the hostages to die tomorrow.

Later, Derek is at school, and Allison and Lydia show him the bruises. He dismisses said bruises as nothing. Then, he brings up the fact Lydia resurrected Peter and that Allison hurt him and his pack.

He put a hit out on Lydia. No one would tell her what was going on or pay attention when she literally begged for someone to talk to her. She was mind-whammed into doing the resurrection. Even now, it appears no one has told her about Derek and the pack’s attempts to kill her so that she can decide if she ever wants to have anything to do with him, Isaac, and any returning pack members in the future, let alone potentially be part of finding said pack members.

Stiles and Scott try to play peacemaker, but Allison retorts her mother died. Refusing to confirm or deny biting her, Derek correctly points out Victoria was killed by her rigid worldview and moral absolutism rather than him. He hints at what she was doing the night she was bitten, but Scott cuts him off.

Derek leaves.

Walking around, Scott and Stiles discuss the alpha pack, and Scott’s fellow werewolf alert goes off when the twins are nearby. He looks at them, but whether he knows is ambiguous.

Later, the two are in economics, and I realise they’ve had Harris and the coach for the same subject for two years.

Fine. This is a common TV trope. On the list of my complaints about Beacon Hills High, this one is low. I do know some schools do looping, and I can buy Scott and Stiles would choose to do this with Coach. Harris, though- it’s a show about werewolves. Maybe, Coach and Harris are the most memorable teachers Scott had, and until Harris died/disappeared and Coach entered rehab, he just imposed memories of them when it came to chemistry and economics.

Coach asks a question, and Scott raises his hand. In response, Coach gives him permission to go the bathroom. Heh.

Scott explains the answer is, “Risk and reward.”

When Coach asks for a quarter, Stiles’s condom falls out as he’s trying to get one.

Is he wearing the same jeans as before, or is he trying to be responsible since he now knows there’s a chance some other girl might decide she wants to have sex with him?

Coach gives an incredibly inappropriate, “Congratulations.”

Then, cutely ordering, “Watch Coach,” Coach tosses it. He tries to get Danny to try by telling him, if he makes it, he doesn’t have to take the pop quiz tomorrow.

Danny patiently explains it’s not a pop quiz if the teacher straight up tells the students they’ll be having it.

So, Coach offers the chance to Scott. He explains winning means no work, and losing means an essay in addition to the not-pop quiz, and choosing not to play means nothing is gained or lost. Scott asks if the whole thing isn’t dependent on chance.

In the real stock market, it is. Here, however, Coach answers Scott knows his abilities.

Scott chooses not to play, but Stiles decides to take a chance.

Before he can, Sheriff S shows up to pull him out of class.

Scott uses his werewolf hearing to hear Heather’s missing, and Stiles was the last person anyone remembers seeing her with. Everyone’s hoping she just made some bad decisions due to being drunk, got lost, and will be found unharmed.

Thankfully, though, perhaps, unrealistically, no one is bringing up the time Stiles actually did kidnap another teenager.

In class, Coach orders Greenberg to put his hand down.

Over in the library, Allison is trying to find out more about the symbol when the twins come in. “I want one,” Lydia announces.

Smiling, Allison asks, “Which one?”

“The straight one, obviously,” Lydia answers.

Showing her gaydar is in fine working order, Danny passes by, and he and Ethan have some eye magic going on.

Allison realises the symbol might be a logo, but Lydia has gone over to talk to the Aiden.

Nearby, Ethan and Danny talk.

Elsewhere, Scott and Stiles talk about how the alphas might have kidnapped Heather due to it being easier to turn teenagers. Stiles is insistent on finding her. They agree they need Isaac to remember, and Scott gets an idea.

Later, Stiles and Derek are putting ice into a bathtub full of water. Deaton explains how almost stopping Isaac’s heart will put him in a trance-like stance.

So would normal hypnotism. So would certain sedatives and anaesthetics. There are safer ways to get his memory back.

Derek makes it clear Isaac he doesn’t have to do this, and Scott nods.

Questions of trust aside, he’s loyal to Boyd and Erica, and he strips off his shirt.

I’m highly doubt him being shirtless is necessary, but if some state of undress is required or he thinks it’d make it a little more comfortable, wouldn’t it be a better idea for him to wear swim trunks or regular underwear instead of keeping his jeans on?

He gets in, they hold him down, and shifting, he tries to escape. They keep holding him down, and eventually, he mentally goes under. He floats to the top.

Warning the others only he can talk to Isaac, Deaton asks Isaac about the night he found Erica and Boyd.

Isaac is insistent on not wanting to remember, and Deaton has a stupid line about memories not being able to hurt people.

Even if this line is used in actual hypnotherapy, it’s still stupid. Memories and words can severely, and sometimes tragically, hurt people.

Isaac reacts, the lights flicker, and this is never explained.

Deaton calms him down, and they discover it’s not a house but some kind of building. Then, Isaac freaks out about someone else being there.

Someone posted a screenshot showing a potential Jennifer in the lights, and someone one else made a case for how this could be early foreshadowing of the Dread Doctors

Opening his eyes, Isaac says he can hear but not see Boyd. Boyd and a not-Erica girl are worried they’ll hurt one another during the full moon. He starts panicking, but ignoring Deaton and Scott’s protests, Derek keeps asking where he is.

Coming out of the trance, Isaac explains they were in an abandoned bank. After getting out and having a blanket wrapped around him, he realises everyone is awkwardly quiet, and Stiles explains, before he came out of the trance, Isaac said he saw Erica’s dead body.

Derek’s in denial, but not showing much emotion towards his Catwoman dying, Stiles is like, ‘Yeah, there’s no room for interpretation.’

Whatever happened when it was revealed Erica was dead, Scott’s not focusing on it, because, he’s never cared about her.

Scott suggests Braeden was whom Boyd was talking to, but Isaac says she wasn’t a werewolf.

I like the acting here. Isaac isn’t showing concern over Braeden, but it’s clear he has a fondness for her.

Derek wants to storm in right away, and everyone else tells him to chill. Stiles assures him it won’t take long to find out how the vault was broken into the first time around.

Cue the next morning with Stiles and Scott asleep after obviously having spent fruitless hours doing researching. Sheriff S wakes them up, and Stiles asks about Heather.

Answering there’s still no news, Sheriff S leaves.

Showing his frustration, Stiles says none of this is making Erica any less dead or Boyd in any less danger.

At school, Lydia asks why Allison isn’t telling Scott about the bank logo. Allison says she needs proof, first. There are bolt cutters in her trunk, and she explains she can’t take Lydia home due to an errand she has to run after school.

So, instead of calling to inform Lydia of this the night before or early in the morning so that Lydia can try to make other arrangements, she springs this now? Inconsiderate.

Meanwhile, Stiles and Scott arrive, and they agree to continue searching for information after school.

Later, during the night, Allison breaks into the bank.

At the loft, Stiles, Derek, Scott, and Peter are planning on breaking in. Stiles and Derek bicker, and Peter watches in amusement. It turns out, he isn’t going to help with the break in, and he makes it clear he doesn’t care if either Boyd or Erica is dead or in danger.

There’s a scene of Boyd pacing the vault with Cora sitting on the floor. Her face is shown here.

Meanwhile, Allison is wandering around, and appearing, Morrell is probably lucky Allison doesn’t seem to have any weapons. Allison shows her physical skills, but showing her own, Morrell makes it clear there’s no time for questions. She directs her to a room with a warning not to come out until she hears fighting.

Deciding to heed this, in the room, Allison intentionally spills some ammonia.

The alphas are walking around outside, and it’s implied Kali isn’t fooled but decides not to pursue it.

This makes sense. I understand the ammonia might cover her scent, but her heartbeat? No matter how quiet, her breathing? Her chemo signals?

Putting her jacket down to block the light, she activates her phone’s flashlight feature. It lands on Erica’s corpse.

Weirdly, the corpse seems to move on its own.

In the loft, Stiles annoys Peter, and then realising something, Peter says they need to quickly find out what the vault walls are made of.

Outside the bank, Scott tries to bring his ‘risk vs. reward’ lesson into the mix, and Derek isn’t having it. He’s risking his life for theirs, and he won’t blame Scott if Scott doesn’t follow.

Good, Derek.

At the loft, Peter and Stiles find out what the walls are made of. Peter yells at Stiles to get Scott and Derek on the phone immediately, and then, calming down, he explains Boyd and Cora are going to kill Derek and Scott rather than one another.

Back at the vault, Derek and Scott break in, and Derek tries to calm a growly Boyd down. Stiles calls, and he and Peter inform Scott the werewolves haven’t felt the full effect of the moon in several months. Scott notices the mountain ash surrounding the room, and Cora appears.

Hoechlin does a wonderful job with the way he has Derek take Cora in and repeat her name. It’s clear he both knows her and is utterly bewildered by her presence.

She growls he needs to leave.

Morrell opens the vault door, and instead of using his werewolf speed to rush over, Scott yells. She puts the last of a line of mountain ash down.

At the loft, Stiles and Peter listen to growling over the phone.

Outside the vault, Morrell goes over to Deucalion. As he’s folding up his cane, he declares this isn’t the first time she’s gotten her hands dirty. Quietly, she guides him away.

Inside the vault, there’s fighting, and Derek reveals Cora is his younger sister. He thought she died in the fire.

Hearing the fighting, Allison comes out, and Derek orders her not to break the seal.

She breaks it, and I’ve always wondered: If Scott weren’t in the vault, would she have listened? She’s not actively trying to kill Derek anymore, but does she feel guilt for Boyd’s capture and Erica’s death? Does she care this unknown werewolf is imprisoned?

I’ve always held, if Chris could have swung it, he would have kidnapped Lydia from the hospital and denied her food, water, and medicine until she either died or turned. It’s possible Allison came to the vault to rescue Boyd and any others, but it’s also possible she had darker intentions. All that was established earlier was she wanted the bank/them found. Or it could be, despite intentions to rescue Boyd and any others, if given the chance of Derek dying due to two feral werewolves, she would have taken it.

Action and inaction are often viewed differently both morally and in a court of law. Not attempting to aid a person in danger isn’t the same as killing a person oneself.

Boyd and Cora escape. Derek briefly manhandles her, Scott protests, and she and Derek argue. Admitting she made mistakes, she correctly declares Gerard was not her fault.

Fed up, Derek demands Scott explain what Victoria was doing the night she was bitten. Scott looks away, and Allison insists, “What does he mean, Scott?”

Meanwhile, Lydia wakes up screaming her head off.

Fin.


End file.
